This invention relates to a surgical instrument for clipping any affected portion of a body cavity of a human being.
The resection of any affected portion of a body cavity is conventionally effected for medical purposes by inserting forceps into the body cavity of a human being through manupulation of an endoscope etc. The electrical searing or cauterization of any diseased portion of a body cavity is also conducted by inserting an electrical surgical instrument into the body cavity.
According to the conventional method a greater amount of blood is oozed from the injured portion of the body cavity in cutting out the affected portion of the body cavity. Furthermore, it is difficult to cure the injured portion of the body cavity. There is also a fear that during the movement of the forceps within the body cavity the forceps is contacted with a portion other than the affected portion of the body cavity to cause injury thereto.
Recently, there has been developed a new method according to which a tubular surgical instrument with a clip member attached at its forward end portion is inserted through an endoscope into the body cavity of a human being and any affected portion of the body cavity is clipped by the clip member. The clip member is left within the body cavity until the clipped portion of the body cavity is necrosed and dropped, together with the clip member, down onto the inner wall of the body cavity. The dropped necrosed portion is excreted, together with the clip member, from the system. In this method the above-mentioned drawbacks can be eliminated.
The clip member now in use is made of, for example, a substantially V-shaped leaf spring and has a pair of clamping portions urged in a direction in which they are closed. The surgical instrument with a clip member attached at its forward and portion is inserted through the endoscope into the body cavity of a human being. The clamping portions of the clip member are opened against a spring biasing force to permit any diseased portion of the body cavity to be captured therebetween. Upon releasing the spring urging force, the clip member is closed under its own urging force to cause the diseased portion of the body cavity to be clipped. With the clip member so constructed, however, the clamping portions cannot provide a greater opening angle therebetween. If the clamping portions of the clip member are opened to a too great extent, there is a fear that they will not be returned to an original closed position. It is therefore impossible to clip any greater diseased portion of the body cavity. Furthermore it is difficult to capture any smaller diseased portion of the body cavity between the clamping portion of the clip member.